Task force vs. COVID-19 eyes prohibiting public from going to cemeteries during Undas

The National Task Force against COVID-19 will recommend that the public be prohibited to go to cemeteries during the Undas holidays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said Wednesday.

At a press briefing, deputy chief implementer of the national policy against COVID-19 and testing czar Vince Dizon said nothing is final yet as this will still be discussed by concerned agencies.

"'Yung specifics kung ano 'yung guidelines, 'di ko pa masasabi ngayon. Definitely, ang irerekomenda ng NTF is 'yung ating kinagawian na pagpupunta ng maraming tao sa sementeryo, hindi natin 'yan puwedeng gawin ngayong 2020 dahil sa COVID-19," Dizon said.

"Ngayon, kung ano 'yung magiging guidelines, kung sarado ba ang sementeryo, 'yan po ay idi-discuss pa," he added.

This came a day after Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno said that public and private cemeteries in the city would be closed from October 31 to November 3.

Moreno said this measure could further prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

The mayor said he made an early announcement so that the public could still have time to visit their deceased loved ones.

Meanwhile, Dizon said the NTF against COVID-19 respects and admires the move of Moreno.

"Sa City of Manila, nirerespeto natin at hinahangaan natin ang desisyon, ang matapang na desisyon ni Mayor Isko para sa City of Manila," Dizon said. — RSJ, GMA News